Multi-modality compact bore imaging system

Abstract

A multi-modality imaging system ( 100 ) includes a gantry ( 101 ), including at least first and second imaging modalities ( 102, 104 ) respectively having first and second bores ( 113, 112 ) arranged with respect to each other along a z-axis, and a subject support ( 108 ) that supports a subject for scanning. The gantry is configured to alternately move to a first position at which the subject support extends into the first bore of first imaging modality for scanning an extremity of the subject and to a second position at which the subject support extends into the second bore of second imaging modality for scanning the extremity of the subject.

1 . A multi-modality imaging system, comprising:
 a gantry, including at least first and second imaging modalities respectively having first and second bores arranged with respect to each other along a z-axis; and   a subject support that supports a subject for scanning,   wherein the gantry is configured to alternately move to a first position at which the subject support extends into the first bore of first imaging modality for scanning an extremity of the subject and to a second position at which the subject support extends into the second bore of second imaging modality for scanning the extremity of the subject.   
     
     
         2 . The system of claim I, wherein the first and second bores have physical dimensions corresponding to a physical dimension of the extremity, 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second bores have physical dimensions that are smaller than the physical dimension of a sub-portion of the subject with a physical dimension that is larger than the physical dimension of the extremity. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the subject support, when loaded with the subject, is configured to extend into only one of the bores at each of the positions. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a base; and   a coupling that moveably couples the gantry to the base,   wherein the gantry is configured to move via the coupling about the base to move between the first and second positions.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the gantry rotates about an axis perpendicular to the z-axis of the gantry. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second positions are spatially registered with respect to each other, 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second modalities are aligned with respect to each other back to back. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising at least one of a shield or a bearing of one of the modalities between the first and second modalities. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a collision sensor that allows or prevents movement of the gantry, based on a location of the subject or the subject support with respect to the gantry. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is a dedicated head scanner, the first and second bores have a physical dimension for optimizing head scans, and the extremity is a head of the subject. 
     
     
         12 . A method, comprising:
 loading a sub-portion of a subject, via a subject support, into a first bore of a first imaging modality of a gantry of a multi-modality imaging system along a z-axis;   performing a first scan of the sub-portion utilizing the first imaging modality;   unloading the stab-portion from the first bore;   rotating the gantry to position a second imaging modality of the multi-modality imaging system for imaging the sub-portion;   loading the sub-portion, via the subject support, into a second bore of the second imaging modality of the gantry along the z-axis;   performing a second scan of the stab-portion utilizing the second imaging modality; and   unloading the stab-portion from the second bore.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 reconstructing the data from at least one of the first or second scans; and   generating one or more images from the reconstructed data.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second bores have physical dimensions that correspond to a physical dimension of the sub-portion. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 rotating the gantry about one hundred and eighty degrees to position the second imaging modality for imaging the sub-portion.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 rotating the gantry about an axis perpendicular to both the z-axis of the gantry and the surface supporting the subject support.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 rotating the gantry about an axis perpendicular to the z-axis of the gantry and parallel to the surface supporting the subject support.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 rotating the gantry to position at least a third imaging modality of the multi-modality imaging system for imaging the sub-portion;   loading the sub-portion, via the subject support, into at least a third bore of the third imaging modality of the gantry along the z-axis;   performing a third scan of the sub-portion utilizing the third imaging modality; and   unloading the sub-portion from the second bore.   
     
     
         19 . An imaging system, comprising:
 a subject support that translates between a first position in which a subject to be scanned is outside of an imaging region and a second position in which the subject is in the imaging region; and   two or more imaging modalities that are selectively movable to be positioned at the imaging region.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the modalities are on a common gantry. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the modalities are coupled to provide alignment between modalities.